Why is Oral Health Care important?

Your mouth is a window to the rest of your body, often serving as a the first point towards detection of the early signs and symptoms of systemic disease — a disease that affects or pertains to your entire body. Systemic conditions such as AIDS or diabetes, for example, often first become apparent as mouth lesions or other oral problems. In fact, according to the Academy of General Dentistry, more than 90 percent of all systemic diseases produce oral signs and symptoms.

Oral Disease: 10 Key Facts

1. Oral disease affects 3.9 billion people worldwide with untreated tooth decay impacting almost half of the world's population (44%)
2. Globally , between 60 -90% of schoolchildren and nearly 100% adults have tooth decay , often leading to pain and discomfort
3. Severe periodontal (gum) disease , which may result in tooth loss , is found in 15 - 20 % of middle - aged (35 - 44 years)3.
4. Severe periodontitis and untreated tooth decay in the primary teeth (milk teeth or baby teeth) are among the top 10 most prevalent of all conditions. Combined, these conditions affect 20% of the global population4.
5. Globally, about 30% of people aged 65 -74 years have no natural teeth3, a burden expected to increase in the light of ageing populations.
6. Risk factors for oral disease include and unhealthy diet - particularly one rich in sugars - tobacco use, harmful alcohol use and poor oral hygiene.
7. Only 47 percent of total treatments received are by dentists according to a survey by the Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB). More than 50% having dental problems prefer to take advice from chemists and general practitioners, or use home remedies.
8. Only 28 percent brushed their teeth twice a day. Nearly 34 percent believed that brushing once a day was more than enough (IMRB).
9. 65 percent of people had no clue that eating habits could cause dental problems (IMRB).

Oral health is often neglected. Gum disease is a bacterial infection. If not treated in time, it is capable of affecting other body organs through the blood stream. An unhealthy mouth often also means an unhealthy heart.

Steps towards better oral hygiene include:

•Eating a healthy diet low in sugar, high in fruits and vegetables

•Avoiding tobacco use and excessive alcohol consumption

•Adopting good oral hygiene habits like brushing your brush your teeth twice a day.

•Wearing a mouthguard when engaging in contact sports

•Having regular dental check-ups

References

http://hsdm.harvard.edu/files/dental/files/wohdemail2017.pdf